9
Path to Recovery
• An active support system often plays a key role in recovery.
Family and friends can encourage their loved ones to stay in
therapy, eat regular meals, and use new coping skills. They can
also provide support during difficult meals and help build a
healthy life.
• Involvement of a caregiver or family member is especially
important for adolescent or young adult patients.
• Relapse can occur when struggling with eating disorders. This
is why regular monitoring and ongoing therapy are important
stepping stones on the path to recovery.
• Each person's recovery is unique. Recovery is not a straight line
but rather a winding road that may include bumps and potholes
as well as smooth sailing.
• It's important to remember and recognize that the first step is
reaching out and seeking help.
Binge-Eating Disorder
• Similar to bulimia, people with binge-eating disorder have
frequent episodes of binge eating in which they consume large
quantities of food in a brief period, experience a sense of loss
of control over their eating, and are distressed by the binge
behavior. The main difference from bulimia is that patients
with binge-eating disorder do not usually try to counteract the
effects of the binge episode by inducing vomiting, exercising, or
misusing laxatives or other medications.
• Binge-eating disorder can lead to health complications,
including diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases.
• Patients with binge-eating disorder should be treated with
eating disorder-focused CBT or interpersonal therapy.
• Adults with binge-eating disorder who prefer medication or
have not responded to psychotherapy alone may be treated
with either an antidepressant medication or lisdexamfetamine.
